A/N: Good day my favored citizens! I am very sorry if I have uploaded a month late. I ain't a good author aren't I? :(. Please forgive meee. So the reason? Yes, I am a very sluggish author and that is bad, but THANKS TO MY DEAR FRIEND SAM, my spirits have been lifted up to write this story
Anyways, this is the final chapter! WHOO! I have successfully completed it. I hope you wouldn't find this too mawkish whatsoever. Enjoy! Don't forget to follow/fav!
Chapter II
Just as Zoro was in a slight trance, she got up on her feet and sat on the deck, her feet dangling over the sea waves, which were gently caressing the ship underneath. "Essentially, worries are commodities, yet, sure enough, eventually these worries will subside…"
Gently, she swung her legs , her gaze now fixated upon them. "In darkness there is light, just as how the moon lights up the sky." She tilted her head up, and gazed upon the now moonlit sky. It was a full moon that night; the phase wherein the moon shines the brightest so that everyone can see. Underneath the sea's surface were creatures of the deep, which, somehow provided a luminous glow for the guidance of the vagabonds. Also, Zoro was speechless of her words. He can't come up with word that will prove her wrong, just because she was right.
She wasn't wrong in any way, he thought; and that made him speechless. "Isn't it beautiful? Zoro turned his head towards her and saw her staring at the sky as ever. "Hmm?" He gave off with a puzzled look. "The moon," she said, heaving off a forlorn sigh.
"Back in Ohara, I used to look at the moon like this, on a full moon night, and surprisingly, I seem to forget my worries in those moments. Where is mother? I used to ask myself in those olden days. Although it seemed like a rhetorical question…because I knew no one would answer it. Had she been a normal person, she will be alive today. That is why I hoped that I could keep on gazing upon the moon, along with the stars, to simply…forget."
She sat there trembling and crumbling like sands, bleary-eyed. His hand somehow moved on its own and tried to reach for her tear-stained face. Although he never fully understood, he knew that she isn't what he thought she was. He reached out for her not as Zoro himself, but someone who can be a shoulder to wipe someone's tears.
It made him feel uneasy, for he was not used to inspiriting someone through physical affection. "It's like the moon, along with the stars, they're darkness's resonance. Behold if they were lost, how frightening would that be." Glistening upon the two, the milky twilight cast off its balmy glow, as if eyeing intently their existence. "It's like how the moon lights up the sky, in worry we should be heartened, otherwise fall into the dark abyss where the stars lay."
'I will be the greatest swordsman.' He said to himself and and gave off a small smirk. He now understood. No more blinding darkness, nor a deafening silence should obstruct him from approaching his grail, an earnest he yearns to fulfill.
Peals sounded.
The moon gleams athwart the dim waters.
It was all because of her.
A few moments passed, and he caught himself staring at her. Her tan skin glistened under the twilight from the drops of sea waves. Ebony locks were gently blown by the wind, as a hint of sandalwood wafted up his nose. She was beautiful.
No, it did not make any sense, the feeling in his chest, shouldn't be there. What the heck. He never realized though, that his hand wasn't far from reaching her face. She noticed, turned to him and stared at him with wonder. It did reach her, and it caressed her delicate skin. He moved a tad nearer, only when the realization occurred in him. Swiftly, he broke off the contact and knit his eyebrows in confusion. "I-I'm sorry." He uttered roughly, concealing any remnants of fervent emotion in his voice. She smiled endearingly, because that's how she always was.
Silence. For a few moments they kept their mouths shut, though they were unsure why. His chest was already puffed up with these weird feelings, which were very troublesome ever they spill out. Did he lose his pride? Not entirely, unless his fellow crew will barge in without apprise, let alone make fun of him.
"It's fine, don't get too worked up about it." Her hand reached his, as if trying to appease his frenzy? It did not necessarily help, albeit, it felt compelling.
He'll be darned if they knew. If they knew her eyes scintillated under the moonlight into his. If they knew how contagious her being awestruck was. If they knew how balmy her breath was against his cheeks. If they knew how soft her lips looked, especially when they're curled up in a smile. If they knew that he thought of her as lovely. Too lovely, in fact.
But what the heck was he thinking? This was wrong in every aspect, and dignity-draining for Zoro, the vicious beast of the crew, although, it felt inexplicably right. As they felt their breaths against their cheeks, they went closer until-
"AAKKKK!" A familiar voice echoed from the blue. "GET YOUR STINKY BREATH OUT OF MY ROBIN-CHAN, MARIMO!" Shiz. "Sanji, what are you doing? It was getting good!"The orange-haired girl motioned from the deck.
"Yeah! Nami-chan's right!" A long-nosed sniper and a tanuki yelled. Flattered by those words, she once again played mischief, indicated from her sly smile. "Of course. I'm always right." She rubbed for herself. A lovestruck Sanji fawned over Nami, as always.
Ironically, his pride definitely got swept away. More mortified than ever, Zoro stood right up, anxiously wondering of a plausible excuse. 'Shoot. What am I supposed to say?' He couldn't possibly get away with this, but he had to try at the least.
"ME~AT!" Luffy. Good, this will buy him some time.
"Luffy! You missed so much! Zoro here was about to kiss Robin." She gladly broadcasted. Now she said it. But he wasn't gonna kiss her, was he?
"Heck no! I wasn't gonna kiss her!" He resisted, though she didn't budge, instead a sly smile was put on her face, and that meant trouble for him. "Then what were you gonna do, Zoro?" Usual Nami, but he knew what he was going to say. "I had a…" He paused, knowing that no one was listening. "Zoro and Robin kissing on the ship! K-I-S-"
"Idiots! Won't you listen?" He crossed his arms. "I had a coughing fit and I accidentally stumbled over Robin and that's the end of it," He said austerely, attempting with all his might to keep a straight mien. They would believe that for sure. He reckoned, earning him a tinge of triumph which lasted for a mere moment when he heard the navigator's chuckle, eventually growing into a boisterous guffaw. "WAHAHAHAHAHAH! WHO WOULD BELIEVE THAT?"
A nervous bead of sweat fell from his face. Shoot. I swore it could've worked. His eyebrows twitched, as he attempted to think of another reason. Gosh, was he such an idiot for doing that silly little thing. Kiss her? This girl probably has a loose screw…
"He's right." A chill crackled down his spine when he heard her voice. He was slightly surprised. Why would she tag along? "It was just an accident. Not something to make a big deal out of. Am I right…Zoro?" The mention of his name made him quiver a bit but he just went along Robin's flow and nodded his head.
"Huh? But you could clearly see them…"
"Shush, Usopp! Robin would never lie!" Robin smiled like she always does as Nami embraced her like a sibling. Gravely relieved he was as she was able to make amends. Robin turned to him, mouthing '~Watashi to anata no himitsu no anzen' and flashed her prevailing smile at him. She placed her index finger atop her lips. A vow of silence he understood with intuition. He nodded, and sighed with consolation.
Just when the woman was out of sight, he turned to the sky, the moonlight now beaming on his face. 'A resonance in the darkness like a moon in the sky. Maybe…just maybe…you are my moonlight.
~Your secret is safe with me
A/N: OKAY I KNOW THAT THERE ARE SOME GRAMMAR CORRECTIONS I AM SO SORRY. I do wish that you can bare with me XP. Zoro here is a bit OOC but yeah, I am not too good with capturing personalities. Also, the original plot was waaay sappier than this one. *cringes. There were some euphemisms as you can see, but that is to keep the rating honest. If there are some holes, I'm sorry, maybe I'll revise this in the future? Who knows ahihihi.
Hope you enjoyed! And as always:
Have a nice day! :)
~theduchess
