Zoro didn't even glance up from his English essay when a loud, metallic crash resounded down the hallway from his room, accompanied by a high-pitched shriek of disbelieving protest.
"LUFFY!!"
He watched out of the corner of his eye as a black ball of fur slid past his doorway, skidding on the polished wooden flooring before it zipped backed into view, dashing inside at high speed. With hurried grace, the kitten leapt up onto the bed and scurried under one propped-up arm, desperate to hide as the echo of heavy boots clomped closer.
"Damnit Luffy!" Usopp rounded the corner, stomping in his fury, halting at the threshold of Zoro's room. He might have been angry, but the young inventor still wasn't comfortable enough with his intimidating roommate to intrude without permission.
"Zoro!"
Zoro's eyes rolled upwards, pencil pausing as he waited for the annual lecture. Really, Usopp just needed to let it go already.
"That thing ruined my latest prototype. AGAIN," Usopp was working himself into an impressive froth, finger pointing accusingly at the kitten in question, who had worked up the courage to peak over Zoro's arm.
"I'll clean it up later, I'm busy," he answered in the tone of one used to having this conversation, attention back on the paper in front of him.
"That's not the point!"
Zoro paused again.
"Then what is your point?" He tapped the pencil against the bedding, starting to lose patience.
"He's a menace!!"
"He's a kitten."
Usopp slumped over, frustrated as he realized that he wasn't going to get anywhere…as usual. Every time he tried to make Zoro see reason, his roommate just brushed it off to Luffy's youthful energy.
"Why did you ever pick up that fuzz-ball anyway?" Usopp muttered, sulking as he leaned against the door frame, glaring as the kitten batted playfully at the tapping pencil from his hiding spot, oblivious to the trouble he had so recently caused.
"I didn't," Zoro smiled faintly, twitching the pencil a little closer as a tiny black paw darted out to snag the eraser, pilfering the writing utensil.
"Eh?"
Zoro shrugged at the lost pencil, grabbing another from his pencil case and returning to his essay.
"Nope. He chose me."
fin