Raining Down On Us

by Neko11

Drabble collection, mostly about the strawhats. Sometimes AU. UPDATED. Chpt. 30: Then the war came. It was sudden, kicking them into hard reality and struck them like a hurricane, messing with their minds and lives. They had to go to war, each of them, there was no running away and no turning back. So they went, but they said, "-when we go, we go together." And they did.

25. Things we regret

Hey ho! :D I received some really nice reviews, so I just felt like doing a quick update today. Time for another Zoro-Luffy oneshot! Nothing special, but I hope you'll like it. Thanks a lot for all the support :)

Genre: Tragedy, Friendship

Characters: Zoro, Luffy

Disclaimer: I don't own One Piece.

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Chapter XXV - Things we regret

„We should have been there, Luffy."

Luffy's smile faltered slightly, and he cocked his head to the side. „Zoro?"

But his ever-faithful first mate didn't look at him and just gazed at the ocean with a cold eye. The silence that followed was deafening, and Luffy despised it. He could feel Zoro wasn't just casually talking to him, he really meant it. His smile turned into a frown at the sudden seriousness that lingered around them.

„You know what I'm talking about, Luffy." Zoro spoke slowly. Luffy casted his eyes to the deck, lingering on Usopp and Chopper who where fooling around before he looked back at Zoro with a sad face. He knew exactly what the other was referring to, but he refused to talk about it. What did it matter, anyways? It only brought back unpleasant memories, and Luffy didn't see the sense in it to discuss about something you couldn't change anymore.

„Zoro-,"

„I should have been there." Zoro replied with more force, and his voice was filled with regret and suppressed frustration. Luffy shuddered in response, unintentionally remembering all the screams of mysery and suffering in Impel Down.

Pictures of Marineford flashed before his inner eyes and he stared ahead blankly. It had been a devastating chaos with too many insanely powerful opponents to count. If even someone as strong as Ace and Whitebeard died, Luffy had no doubt his crew would have been crushed. He was very much aware of the fact that he'd been lucky to survive, and only thanks to his brother. Who else would have been sacrificed? That thought alone was enough to make Luffy rub his arms as if he was freezing. Marco and the others couldn't have possibly protected nine people at once. Luffy didn't even want to think about what could have happened if his friends had been by his side. Beside the noise, he only remembered blood, pain and dying people around him.

The answer that followed took Zoro aback, and the hard tone Luffy used surprised him even more.

„I'm glad you weren't." Luffy answered without looking at him.

Luffy turned around and when those usually bright eyes shone with the horrors of the past, Zoro understood.

"All I need is you being here now. The rest doesn't matter." Luffy added, and Zoro closed his eye with a smile.

"Aye aye, captain."

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Didn't turn out as dark as I thought it would be xD Thanks for reading! And thanks a lot for your reviews! :)

SniperKingSogeking0341: True, lol. XD

Mon Esprit Libre: Gomen, gomen! -bows- Oh thank you :D

Blueh: Yeah, Ace was awesome! Thanks, man :)

Shiary: Thanks a lot! =D

~Neko11