Small trigger warning, and I'm not even sure it counts, but Luffy is really depressed in this one and mentions giving up, which could be taken in many different ways.

Lean on Me

The crew arrived at the hotel they would be staying at in their time on Water 7 until they were able to get a new ship from the guys at Galley La. Nami paid for three rooms, one for herself and Robin (even if the dark-haired woman still hadn't returned. It had been done in hopes that she would soon), one for Sanji and Chopper, and the last for Luffy and Zoro. She gave them all keys to their rooms, and surprisingly, Luffy took his and walked away quietly and alone. The rest of the crew watched after their usually boisterous captain with sadness in their eyes, for Usopp, for Merry, and for the decisions their captain had to make that day.

Zoro debated leaving Luffy alone for the night and staying in the room with Sanji and Chopper, but decided against it in the end, and followed his captain. Luffy needed him, even if he didn't say it, or want it.

When he arrived at their shared room, Zoro entered to see Luffy already laying on his side on the bed farthest from the door. He could hear quiet sniffling, so he approached the bed, so he could see his captain's face. Large tears rolled down the teen's face, wetting the pillow beneath him as he cried for his losses. Zoro knelt down in front of his strong captain, the strongest he could have asked for, and not just physically, to wipe the tears from his cheeks and nose.

Luffy sat up suddenly, and Zoro rose from his knees to sit next to Luffy on the edge of the bed. He pulled the younger man into his lap and Luffy could no longer hold back. He sobbed into his first mate's chest, letting out every ounce of what he had held back for the last few hours.

Soon he calmed down just enough to speak and mumbled into Zoro's neck, "Why does being the captain have to be so hard?"

Zoro held Luffy tighter at those words. "I know it's hard, but we need you to be strong. If you aren't firm, if you aren't our rock, then how can the rest of us possibly stand? Where does a crew turn if not to their captain?"

"I know, Zoro. I know, but that doesn't make it any easier."

"No, but if it helps, I'm your first mate. You can always lean on me. You can share the load with me, and I will gladly help you carry it. I will always have your back and take your side. I will always be here for you, just like this." He held on a little tighter, and Luffy felt as if Zoro's embrace was the only thing holding him together. He held on tight, afraid that if they were to let go, Luffy would fall apart.

"Sometimes I feel like it would be better to just give up," Luffy whispered into Zoro's neck, and the older pirate barely caught those words. "I feel that right now. I want to go home."

Zoro sighed, "And I want to go to the moon. It ain't happening sweetheart. Time to accept that." He could feel Luffy start to tremble again, and didn't want to see him cry again, but knew it was inevitable, so kept talking softly, "I don't want to see you give up, Luffy. You've made it so far already. I won't let you quit now because someone else couldn't handle the hardships of being a pirate. Keep going, Luffy, and be strong for those of us who remain in your crew. Those of us who are here and have stuck with you through all of this shit will follow you to the ends of the earth, even into death."

"I don't want anyone to die, Zoro. Why do I feel like I'm leading you all to a certain death?" Luffy murmured into Zoro's shirt, not sure if Zoro even heard or understood him.

But Zoro heard every word in the quiet room. "Do you think we worry too much about that, Luffy? We follow you because our dreams line up with your own, honestly insane and far-reaching one. If any one of us die, it will be fighting for our own dream as well as yours. You aren't forcing anyone to go with you, we go because we want to. If we weren't following you, we would be following someone else, and we trust you to lead us right. You are the best captain any one of us could ask for, and tonight more than proves that. You made two decisions today that none of the rest of us could have made. Many of your crew, in fact, all of your crew knew you made the right decision, they just didn't want to have to make it themselves or on their own."

Luffy started crying again. "Maybe I made two right decision, but I have a third to make, and soon." Zoro sat silently with Luffy in his arms, waiting for him to explain. "Robin is missing. I don't know why, but I feel like she left on purpose, and by choice. Do we let her leave, or try to find her?

Zoro sighed, pulling away to rest his forehead on Luffy's. Luffy adjusted his position, so he was now straddling Zoro's hips, with his legs wrapped securely behind his first mate, their chests were almost touching, and his arms were wrapped around Zoro's shoulders. He buried his face in Zoro's neck to just breathe in the scent of his first mate.

"Whatever you choose, Luffy, I will follow you and support you. I always will."

"Thank you, Zoro." The swordsman squeezed Luffy tighter to him, not saying any more. They stayed like that for a long time, Luffy crying on and off occasionally. In those moments it was just the two of them. They didn't notice when Nami walked in the room and left again quickly after seeing them like that, or when Chopper could be heard crying loudly in the room next to their own.

Finally, after nearly two hours, Luffy sat up straighter and unwound himself a little from Zoro's embrace, but still didn't leave his lap. He still wanted Zoro close. The swordsman knew this and let Luffy do as he pleased, keeping his hands on the younger's hips.

Luffy looked into Zoro's eyes, a seriousness in his own that Zoro had never seen before. He put his hands on either side of Zoro's face, and his left thumb lightly brushed against three gold earrings that jingled softly at the touch. He could feel the softness of Zoro's green hair with his fingertips and wanted to feel more. His hands moved to the back of Zoro's head, and Zoro's eyes closed in pleasure and his head leaned into Luffy's touch at the feeling of Luffy's hands running through his hair and his fingertips massaging his scalp, then down to his neck.

When Zoro opened his eyes again he was met with Luffy's chocolate brown orbs staring back at him. His green eyes flickered to Luffy's lips and back up to his eyes. Luffy noticed it but didn't say anything. He leaned in closer, but didn't let their lips touch, waiting for Zoro to make the next move.

Zoro sighed Luffy's name, and that was all the captain needed. He captured Zoro's lips in a passionate, but chaste kiss, because that's just how Luffy was: passionate, yet innocent. Zoro responded with just as much passion, but he found himself to be not so innocent in his own way of doing things. He opened his mouth slightly, and Luffy froze for a second, probably confused at what his first mate was doing, but eventually understood when Zoro ran his tongue along Luffy's bottom lip. He opened his mouth, too, and Zoro's tongue plunged into his mouth and ran along sharp teeth, normally accustomed to tearing into slabs of meat, then to the roof of his mouth. After that he coaxed Luffy's own tongue into his own mouth.

Luffy tried to copy Zoro's actions and explored Zoro's mouth with his own tongue. When the younger started to pull away, Zoro followed, denying him the separation by catching Luffy's lip between his teeth. Only after one more, quick peck on the lips did Zoro let Luffy pull away.

Both men took a few deep breaths after their passionate kiss and Luffy looked shyly up into Zoro's eyes again. He found nothing in those green eyes but acceptance and understanding. He sighed in relief and resumed his previous position, acting as a koala and Zoro as the tree. "Thank you, Zoro."

Zoro smiled into Luffy's hair, "Any time, Captain." Little did they know, this would be only the first of many nights like this still to come.