This might seem a little ooc, but bear with me. It's supposed to be that way, and actually isn't ooc. I'll talk more at the end.
Enjoy!
Through the Eyes of Another
That swordsman. In the eyes of an outsider, Zoro was a cruel, heartless devil. He killed without mercy, the second strongest in the crew, only below the captain. He was more feared then our easy-go-lucky leader, the man with the worst reputation. Yet that was all on the outside. When you got to know him, you could see through the cracks in his cold, heartless armor.
On the inside, he was different. Suspicious of strangers, but only in fear that they'd harm the things precious to him. His crewmates. His captain. Not himself. He would sacrifice himself for someone he cared for without batting an eye. But when something he considered precious was in danger, he'd leap in to save them. He would batter his body to shreds for his captain, like at Thriller Bark. For any other of his Nakama, he would do the same thing.
Zoro had a soft side, too. It was hard to see, only visible at the right moments. But when you spent enough time with him, you would get a glimpse or two. It was there when he was getting fixed up by Chopper, a slight softening of his eyes before his customary scowl slipped back into place. It was there when he was sleeping on the deck, sometimes, as a slight loosening of his shoulders, a quiet release. It was there when he took his first bite of a delicacy he knew was made for him. I made everyone their favorites, once in a while. Even him. I saw it sometimes, early in the morning, when I got up to make breakfast. He would murmur a name, Kunia, or Tagashi. He never said anything when he was sleeping on the deck, though. It was a small piece of his iron-hard self-discipline that hid his inner self from most people.
He had a fun side as well, when he was playing with Luffy. A slight grin would creep onto his face, a genuine smile. When we fight, he wears a feral grin that is often mistaken for pure hate. But I recognize it for what it really is. It is a grin of joy, for a fun moment of fighting, intense battle that kept us both in fighting shape and was an entertaining way to pass the time. They were enjoyable little explosions, fighting stronger opponents then the Marines that we usually fought. But the fights always stopped before one of us got hurt, whatever the argument that started the fight long forgotten.
Zoro had a violent side. It was undeniable; a part of what made him the great swordsman that he was. The thrill of the fight, of risking your life on the line, I could understand. I enjoyed fighting as well, but never as much as he did. Wearing a savage grin, he would tear through enemies with no effort. He would fight for his dream and for his pride and for his Nakama. This was the side that he showed to others; the side that made his enemies cringe away in fear of the mighty Roronoa Zoro. But there were other parts to him, if you got close enough to see them.
…
I know that this isn't the regular, normal, epic Zoro that Sanji is describing. I'm trying to show lesser-noticed aspects of the characters with this. I hoped that you liked what I was trying to do. I love reviews, but please don't just say "this was ooc because Zoro wasn't epic and fighting anyone." I really do love reviews, but those ones serve no purpose. Sorry for my mini-rant, but I hope that you liked it.
Whether or not this turns into a two-shot depends on the reception this gets, so if you want me to do a reverse-situation thing, say something.