Zoro tilts his head back, eyes closing as he listens to the slowly lapping waves.
It's peaceful.
He cracks one eye open, observing his latest problem. The problem not being a lack of booze, place to sleep, or someone to fight. It's a kid in a straw hat and an open red vest currently smiling up at the sky. Wait… the swordsman scrunches up his brows before he sees exactly what the kid is staring at. The kid is staring at the stars.
The kids only crew being the straw hat on his head, a broken barrel, and the clothes on his back. Zoro sighs, scratching his head while wondering what he's got himself into. The kid, his 'captain', sensing his stare, turns toward him with a big smile and laugh.
His new captain seems quieter than usual.
"Zoro's weird."
"Oi!"
Luffy smiles with his eyes closed and his hands on his knees. Zoro huffs, studying the kid, but he's not a kid, not really. His new captain is too world changing, radiating with something that says he's not going to live to a ripe old age. But neither is Zoro.
(Secretly, he hopes that this kid does.)
(—he doesn't.)
It's quiet after that.
Zoro finds himself looking at the night sky, painted in black except for the small dots twinkling; this moment feels like something he's always going to remember and look back on it with nostalgia.
He observes his new captain.
Luffy's face is rained upon by the little specks of light and shine that the moon and stars provide, his eyes gleaming and smile softer than usual, smaller but still a soft form of his usual smile. Zoro doesn't know how he knows, thinks that maybe it's instinct that something deep in his bones knows that this lanky teen is going to be something great—world changing—is already something great and world changing.
The swordsmen knows that people like this lanky teen with a smile radiating light and an always helping hand along with some hidden wisdom somewhere don't live long.
They never do.
It bugs him. It's not because he's fond of his new captain—he can hear Kunia laughing now—it's because this teen isn't bad, but he's not exactly good (Zoro can feel it, see it in his dark eyes) and 'cause this teen has a dream, no matter how unbelievable it is. Maybe Zoro sees himself in this teen, sees that the lanky idiot is actually going to do it and not sit around whining and wanting people to do it for him.
And that's why Zoro doesn't mind all that much to call this lanky teen in a straw hat captain.
Luffy looks at him again, snickering and Zoro smirks.
The island in the distance is becoming clearer as they get closer.
"Ready?"
"Aye, Captain."