I'm obsessed with One Piece. Been binging it like crazy and had to write something for it.

Not much time had passed since the sun had set, lighting the Going Merry in an orange glow before fading into a peaceful darkness. The deck was swathed in pale moonlight, and there was only one crewmember lying about outside enjoying the gentle breeze and soft sway of the ship. Despite his closed eyes, the green-haired swordsman was wide awake, an unfortunate consequence of the long hours he'd spent napping the prior day.

A heavy yawn parted his jaws and pulled at the stitches hidden beneath the many bandages covering his torso. Zoro groaned. Though he felt no shame at having lost to the infamous Hawk-Eye Mihawk, it didn't make the healing process any less irritating. He'd have to increase his training regimen so that he'd be ready to defeat the war lord the next time they met.

The sound of soft footsteps pulled Zoro from his thoughts. Turning his head slightly, he saw his captain appear from around the tangerine trees. No words passed between them as Luffy lay down next to the first mate and bent his arms behind his head. There was no need for Zoro to press, and he patiently waited until Luffy asked whatever was on his mind.

Luffy was surprisingly tight lipped about his past. Not out of any actual sense of secrecy, but rather because he lived solely in the present and never gave any thought to things that had already happened. At this point, Zoro was the only crewmember who knew how young Luffy was when he ate the Gomu Gomu no Mi and that he had spent the last decade living with mountain bandits. Which actually explained a lot of the captain's stranger idiosyncrasies and why he had the social skills of a wild animal.

Growing up the way he had, it had become commonplace for Luffy to seek out the swordsman at night whenever he had a question about something he didn't understand, particularly when he realized it was something that he probably should know. Sometimes they were simple questions, such as why none of the crew ate as much as he did, or one night when Luffy couldn't figure out why Nami was so angry that he had accidentally walked in on her in the bath.

Anytime Luffy would lie next to him, he'd speak, and Zoro would listen, never making him feel embarrassed about his curiosity. It was just one of the ways he served his captain.

"There's something I don't get."

"Tell me."

"Why does Sanji like girls so much?"

"Because he's a pervert," Zoro stated flatly, his words dripping with disrespect for their latest addition to the crew.

"Okay, but why?" His frustrated tone was surprising. It was rare for the fun loving captain to act so serious, and Zoro couldn't help turning his head to eye the younger boy. Luffy was staring straight up into the sky with a slightly furrowed brow.

Realizing that that night's topic was something important, Zoro straightened his head, closed his eyes, and took a deep breath to gather his thoughts. He knew that Luffy would wait until the swordsman had the right words.

"Well...he thinks they're special and enjoys showing that to them, even if I think he takes it too far." It was probably the most polite thing Zoro would ever say regarding the cook, and it was only because he wanted to do right by Luffy and keep some semblance of maturity during their talks.

"Oh." A brief silence fell between them until, "You don't act like that."

"No," agreed Zoro.

"Is that cause you don't like girls?"

He hummed an affirmation, then added, "Partly. People show their interest in different ways." Zoro considered himself more mature and definitely more respectful and would never act like a love-sick pervert that way. There were more subtle and meaningful ways to show affection.

"But you still like guys the way Sanji likes girls, though, right?"

"I guess so." There was no stopping the annoyed sigh that escaped him. Zoro had no issue with what Luffy was asking about, but being compared to that annoying perverted cook in any way was insulting.

Silence once again fell.

The two of them watched the stars and followed the moon as it rose higher and higher in the sky. There was a slight chill in the air, but it didn't bother either of the pirates.

"What's it like?" Instead of waiting for a response, Luffy kept talking. "I like you. And I like Usopp and Nami and Sanji, but anytime he raves on about girls I just don't get it!"

"You've never felt that kind of attraction for anyone before?"

Luffy thought for a moment and shrugged. "I don't think so." He twisted his head to look curiously at Zoro. "Is that weird?"

Zoro turned to meet his best friend's gaze and offered a smile. "Nah." A simple answer, but Luffy immediately perked up and laughed.

"Besides, who needs that dumb stuff when I have you!"

The first mate smirked at his captain but said nothing, satisfied that he had reassured him and knowing nothing more needed to be said. They both knew that Zoro would stand by Luffy until the very end. Long after he achieved his dream to become the world's greatest swordsman, he'd still be there to watch after his Pirate King.

To protect his back during battle.

To catch him when he falls into the ocean.

To—

"Hey, Zoro?"

"Yeah?"

"Do girls poop?"

You can pry asexual Luffy from of my cold, dead hands.

There's also a little romantic ZoLu in here if you squint.