A/N: ZareEraz here! One more update! Enjoy!
Chapter 9: Ungrateful Little Ass
"Luffy…you were seriously scary." Zoro sighed, leaning against the rail of the Going Merry as Whisky Peak and Ms. All Sunday disappeared into the morning fog. He was still thinking about their fight, their undeniable desire to kill each other over such a little misunderstanding. It was ridiculous that Luffy hadn't listened to him about the bounty hunters and just attacked him, but he was stupid enough to stop trying, like it didn't matter anymore. Luffy had been furious with him and unforgiving, willing to kill Zoro for hurting people who had helped them, even if he didn't have all the information he'd needed. And it hurt, it hurt that Luffy hadn't believed him, but he hadn't tried harder to convince the rubber man that he was wrong. Instead, he'd let that hurt fester in his chest and gave into Luffy's anger, he'd wanted to fight him, to see who was the strongest. It had been that simple at that point. Pushing all of his other emotions out except ambition, anger and desire, he'd let himself go.
"You were scary too, Zoro!" Luffy replied, sitting on the Merry's head. "Your eyes…they were as sharp as your blades." And Zoro knew that he was telling the truth. He'd felt it, the moment that they'd knocked Mr. 5 and Ms. Valentine down for interrupting their fight, they had both glared at each other, their eyes piercing the night like two wolves on the verge of madness. It had felt…horrible. To turn on his friend and crewmate because of a misunderstanding, but Luffy had just been upholding his idea of friendship to people who had been hospitable to them. He'd thought that Zoro had betrayed their kindness with merciless violence. Sure, it hurt for Luffy not to believe him, but in hindsight, Zoro realized that Luffy had probably been hurting too, thinking that his friend had turned his back on kind people.
Zoro hoped it would be the only time they turned on each other. He never wanted to feel that way again…that pain and emptiness deep inside that couldn't be fixed by anyone. So, thank god for Nami's fists, otherwise that feeling would've stayed with him for the rest of his life.
"Don't do that again." Luffy continued. Zoro turned to look at his friend. "I don't want to fight you like that ever again. It wasn't good."
"That's an understatement." Zoro replied shortly, not wanting to drag up those horrible feelings again.
"And if you've got something to say, say it. Make me listen, so that I don't try to kill you again over something stupid."
"You wouldn't have listened to me. You were too pissed off." Zoro answered, shutting his eyes. "You called me an 'ungrateful little ass' and told me you were going to kick it. You didn't want to listen."
"No matter how unreasonable I am, make me listen." Luffy's voice dropped low. Zoro cracked his eyes open to see why it changed and found Luffy staring right at him, eyes full of something he couldn't name under his straw hat. "I will always trust you more than strangers. You were protecting us, all of us, while we were defenseless. That took strength. I respect that, more now than I ever have. So make me listen, even if it's hard, even if it'll hurt me, okay? I'll…try to listen…" Zoro's heart swelled, seeing captain trying to make amends for his mistake, at least a little bit.
"Right. I'll be sure to make your ungrateful little ass listen to me next time."
"I am not an ungrateful ass!" Luffy's serious mood snapped, sending him into a normal bout of arguing.
"Are too! You're the one that wouldn't believe me! You just admitted that I was protecting the crew and you turned around and stomped on that at Whisky Peak!"
"But I'm not an ass!" Luffy shouted.
"You were too!"
"Was not!"
"You're not listening to me again! You're an idiot!" Zoro snarled, as Luffy jumped him and pinched his ear and pulled it hard, his other hand trying to get his opposite cheek, but Zoro held off that hand with his own.
"Shut up! I'm the one talking here!"
"Would you two be quiet!?" Nami zoomed up to the high deck and punched them both in the skulls, incapacitating them both before they broke out into another fight.
"'Orry." Zoro and Luffy groaned, trying to avoid anymore of the navigator's wrath. Thankfully, they were smart enough to listen to her and just shut the hell up.
A/N: And there you go! See you next time!
